Travel update

I made it to the coast, yay! Sickness and rain and cold could not stop me, I would have to be dead to not go see my beloved Oregon coast. I took many photos and I will be sharing those when I get home next week. I am still sick, but feeling better everyday. Next stop, Seattle, going to visit my cousin R. Wish I had time to visit with Sizzle, but I will be thinking of you, Sizzle dear while I am there :-). I miss visiting you guys so much! Have a happy, wonderful New Year!
XOXO

Yikes

Just a short post. I made it to Portland and had a lovely Christmas with my family, but I woke up sick this morning. I have not bee sick like this for 10 years. I am hoping we can still go to the coast this weekend. My mom and I have not left the house since I arrived. The men in the house have been hunting and gathering like they should. I will give you an update on Monday.
Happy weekend! XOXO

Leaving on a jet plane, hopefully...

My cat Max wants to go with me on my trip to Portland :-). I wish all my boys could go.

There is snow coming down here and snow coming down in Portland, which is where I am headed. I don't leave until Wednesday, but by the looks of things, it will be even worse then.

I live 3 hours away from the airport, so it is not like I can turn around and go home, plus I am taking a shuttle which is expensive. All I can do is wait and see what happens. Please send up prayers to whatever God you believe in that I make it home by Christmas.

You all have a wonderful Christmas! I will have some limited access to the Internet while I am away, but very little time. I will peek in and perhaps even post from time to time if I can, but will be missing you all very much! Much love your way. XOXO

Full Circle

My angst and struggling have gone full circle into acceptance and the realization that I don't need anything in my life to be different. Funny how I am constantly going back and forth between these two states :-). The one thing that has changed as I have grown older, is the space of time between when I am struggling to acceptance gets shorter, and the space of time from Acceptance back to struggle takes longer :-). Progress is made, however slowly. Happy Saturday!

Taos Mountain

This is what my beautiful mountain looks like right now, I will be taking more photos of it as the snow days pass. It is so lovely covered in snow, don't you think? The snow has stopped for a couple days, but due back on Monday and Tuesday, I am hoping that it does not interfere with my travel plans, the airport is 3 hours away, so the snow could be a problem, but I am attempting no to worry :-). Trying to be oh so Zen and detach from outcome, easier said than done :-). I received a lovely card from two friends in San Francisco, B and K. They just celebrated 40 years together! I just wanted to say, wow! If you are reading this, I am so happy for you both! You are my shiny example of a relationship that works. That's all for me tonight.

Much love.

Struggling

For the last few weeks I have been struggling with something and I thought I would ask you all what you do when you need to let go of a person, someone you love very much. How do you do it? How do you stop loving someone? Or is letting go different than not loving? I can easily put a stop to negative thoughts and even not thinking about this person, but then wham I am thinking of them and when I do I feel sad. I know I am not the first who has had to deal with this, so if any of you have some sure fire remedy please share :-). Thanks.

Contemplative

I took this picture today. It has been snowing non-stop. I love how everything gets so quiet when it snows. This is how I am feeling these days, quiet and contemplative, calm and accepting. Gearing up for when I leave next week to go home for the holidays, it will be a busy and fun time. What are you doing for Christmas (if you celebrate it) ? XOXO

Passion for Art

This is going to be a post about art. Art fills up my life, not just making art, but looking at it as well, and I wanted to tell you about some of the artists I am passionate about. I don't know about sharing photos, so to be safe I will just provide links. First up a man I am madly in love with and would be stalking if he were alive is Willem de Kooning. Talk about passion, this man painted with so much passion his canvases are on fire. Next, a woman who lived in Taos, her name is Rebecca James and she painted wonderful reverse paintings on glass, she was also married to the famous photographer Paul Strand. Moving on to the living: my #1 favorite artist is Cecily Brown. She is younger than me and way famous and well she should be, she amazes me with each new work, knocks me out. My dream is to see one of her paintings in the flesh. Another painter I am in awe of is lucian Freud, he is the grandson of Sigmund freud and he is one of the best painters I have ever seen. I could look at his work for hours and never get tried of it. One artist that is at the top of her game is Jenny Saville. Her work is often disturbing and I probably would not be able to live with most of it, but her handling of paint is exquisite. Last but not least is a local man and a friend of mine and I think his paintings are delicious, Jack Smith, scroll down midway on this link to see Jack's paintings.
Now you know a bit more about me.
If you are an art lover, please share with me the artists you are inspired by. Happy Sunday.

Quiet

That is how I feel today, so nothing to say, but I will give you this tiny bit of beauty I found in the snow the other day. Happy weekend, everyone.

Doves

I took this photo the other morning when it was cloudy and still somewhat dark outside. These are my doves, there are about five, that live in my neighborhood. They come and eat in my yard everyday and I have fallen in love with them, I adore their plaintive call and how gentle and careful they are. I also love their sand like color and these doves all have a half circle of a black ring around their necks. When I am sad or sometimes a little lost, nature in all it's glory is the one thing that can always make me smile, no matter what. What makes you smile when you are sad? XOXO

Loving my life...

I have been a little blue lately, due mostly to those darn hormones, but today the clouds lifted and I realized again for the millionth time that to be happy one must accept what is, and not just accept it, but embrace it, love it even. This is my wish: To fall in love with my life, just as it is warts and all. I may paint for the rest of my life and never make a living at it, I love painting and will do it even if I never sell another painting, so why be sad because I am not one of the lucky few who make it? I may never meet a man I can love and live with (sometimes it is hard to find that perfect combination :-), but I have tons of lovely friends and my four animal boys, so I am never lonely and I am a loner by nature, so perhaps it is a blessing in disguise. I will trust that whatever is going on in my life, it is there for a reason, a teaching or a blessing and all I have to do is accept it and find the good. This way of life is also informed by being brave, since I have been doing the be brave project, I have learned that whenever I get scared, I remember how brave I am and it makes me more brave (did that make sense?). Brave enough to put one foot in front of the other and trust that I can do whatever I have to and be happy doing it :-).
What did you have to accept lately and what were you brave about this week?
XOXO

Random thoughts...

This is another photo of Taos mountain. I take a lot of photos of this mountain because it is an awesome presence in this town. The energy it exudes is very powerful. This mountain is the reason I live here, the first year, I cried whenever I looked at it. It still moves me in a way I can't describe.

I just returned from helping my friend J load his mom's stuff in a truck(she is moving to Dallas) and also helping were friends J and L. I like to think of them as my posse of men. I love them very much and my best friend in the world is J, not sure I could get along without him, I feel so close to him he is like my brother. We had a blast today and had a little party after loading the truck. Drinks were served :-).

I have been thinking a lot about my art and why it is not out in the world yet. I don't have any easy answers. I do believe my work is good and deserves better than is gets. Sometimes I just think it is the luck of the draw, or who you know, or perhaps it is fate. I am a bit tired of the struggle and have decided to stop struggling, just do the art and let the chips fall where they may. I am no longer going to knock my head on gallery doors.

So there, that is what is on my mind today. I am off to do Christmas stuff, like make out cards and make a list of what I still have to do before I leave on my trip.

Happy Sunday all. XOXO

Goofy

This is Max being bad. He loves the sink, so I have to constantly clean it. When I cook I have to keep him occupied otherwise he harasses me, so the other day I gave him a fresh string bean to play with, he loved it and played with it for hours, so yesterday I bought a bag of beans just for him. A fresh one everyday :-). He brought me one last night to throw and I think I threw it about 20 times. Okay, I admit it, my cats are weird :-) and so am I :-). Happy Friday. XOXO

What I have been up to...

I have been deep in making Christmas cards for family

and friends. I finished them this Sunday and can now work

on some other art projects. I started a med-large bowl and

soon I will be working on a large painting and my very neglected

book. My plan is to work on the book all Winter and be done by Spring.

I also want to get better with my ceramics.

Besides work and running and cards, I have not been doing much.

Feeling very antisocial and have not been wanting to even return phone

calls. I am a bit of a hermit and I can go long stretches without

seeing or talking to another person. I love people, don't get me wrong,

but I have to be in the mood.

I am getting excited about going home (Portland Oregon) for

the holidays. I have not been home over Christmas for a few years.

I will miss my animal boys, but I found a great pet sitter and will feel

fine leaving them with her.

This seems like a very boring post to me, but I will let it stand as

information you can take or leave :-) as you wish.

Happy Wednesday.

Spread a little love

As an artist, I am struggling to get myself out there into the world.
Someone once said (I forget who), that a piece of art does not really live
until it is seen by others. I think in a way they are right. In an effort
to help other artists, I am linking you to a few artists that I think you
will admire. I may make this a weekly or bi-weekly thing. Please go give
them some blog love :-).
First up is a dear woman and a kindred spirit, Lisa Plummer, she
does art straight from her heart. Then there is Paula Snyder, she
is an artist who lives in my state and she paints delightful, colorful
paintings that will lift your spirits. Last but not least is Sukipoet,
who is a very inventive and soulful artist.
XOXO